Alanieta’s fashion buzz
BUSINESSES continue to survive despite an eyesore at the Ratu Sukuna Park in Suva, a $1.5 million project that was forecasted to be ready by 2021 but is still incomplete.
Hidden from public eye within De Vos on the Park, are vendors who have been given spaces to operate their businesses for sometime now.
The family that runs the building space, converted the second floor to cater about 16-17 vendors that lost their stalls during a Suva Flea Market fire in 2020, where $500,000 worth of stock was destroyed
As you enter the building and head up the stairs then turn left, you will notice a small shop named ‘Alanieta and Kali’s Fashion’.
This stall is not part of the vendors from the flea market, who are set up at the back. It is operated by businesswoman Alanieta Rauca Qalilawa who is originally from Nasegai, Tavuki, Kadavu.
Before she moved to this location, for 35 years she operated her shop along Nina St. She keenly remembers how her young and energetic children would run around the shop while she conducted her business.
She said while he operated alone now, she used to have around three to four workers at her Nina St shop.
But before her endeavour to become her own boss, she worked at various tea stops in town, including the one owned by the Centenary Methodist Church.
The 65-year-old has worked nearly throughout her adult life, providing for her seven children.
While the death of her husband had pushed her to become the sole breadwinner of her family, she feels blessed this had allowed her to thrive and provide a good life for her now grown children.
She said while there weren’t many customers coming to her shop, her earnings were enough to pay the rent and cater for immediate family needs.
“It’s something to do, something to keep us going because staying at home will get us nothing,” Alanieta said.
“Another vendor here who is my friend is 75-years-old and comes from Sawani and gets off at Tamavua and walks from there to here.”
“This is one of God’s gifts to us.”
At her little shop, Alanieta sells new and second-hand clothes for women of all sizes. She also sews.
She says selling more than one product gives more options for customers when they shopped so she also makes funeral wreaths, necklaces, salusalu (lei) and other items as well.
She said it was during her days at Nabua Secondary School that she was taught how to sew. She has pass her sills to hero her daughter who also helps around in her shop.
“I wouldn’t think of going and working as a civil servant because there is a lot of money in sewing and doing your own thing.”
Alanieta said her mother was also a business lady, who once operated her handicraft stall at the Suva market.
Her father had passed on when she was only seven-yearsold, a situation that both the she and her mother had to undergo but became their stepping stones later in life.
Alanieta is an ambitious woman who grew up in Suva in a family of six siblings.
“I thank God that they continued to help and support me when I went through challenging times.
“Four of my siblings went abroad and so two of us are here in Fiji.”
Alanieta also suffered a mild stroke 15 years ago. But that failed to hinder her passion to continue working. She is one out of many Fijian women who have the ingenuity to thrive and survive no matter how grave the situation.
“I’m so happy when I see other women being strong for themselves and we invite women who’ve got businesses to come down to the former YWCA building as we still have vacant spaces.”